Roll changing device for a strip accumulator

ABSTRACT

The disclosure of this invention relates to a device for removing and replacing the rolls of a rotary strip accumulator. The device comprises a roll supporting arm cantileverly mounted to a frame which arm is adapted to be positioned to protrude into the center of the accumulator and be adjusted both radially and angularly so that a roll to be replaced can be attached to the arm and removed by moving the frame away from the accumulator.

United States Patent [191 Somerhalder 51 June 5,1973

[54] ROLL CHANGING DEVICE FOR A STRIP ACCUMULATOR [75] Inventor: RobertAlfred Somerhalder, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[73} Assignee: Wean United, Inc.,- Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Nov. 11, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 197,778

[52] US. Cl ..242/79, 214/DIG. 4, 242/58.6 [51] Int. Cl. ..B2lc 47/24,B65h 19/30 [58] Field of Search ..242/79, 58.6, 58.2;

214/] Q, l R, 1 BD, I BV, DIG. 3, DIG. 4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,802,586 8/1957 Wingard..242/79 X 3 1970 Wagner ..214 1 BD 3 1970 Scordato ..242/58.6

Primary ExaminerGeorge F. Mautz Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthyAttorneyHenry C. Westin [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure of this inventionrelates to a device for removing and replacing the rolls of a rotarystrip accumulator. The device comprises a roll supporting armcantileverly mounted to a frame which arin is adapted to be positionedto protrude into the center of the accumulator and be adjusted bothradially and angularly so that a roll to be replaced can be attached tothe arm and removed by moving the frame away from the accumulator.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJuu 5 1975 SHEET 1 BF 3 ROLLCHANGING DEVICE FOR A STRIP ACCUMULATOR In strip accumulators, forexample the type illustrated in copending U. S. Pat. application Ser.No. l69,l92 filed Aug. 5, I971, considerable downtime is experienced ininstalling and removing the rolls.

The rolls make up inner and outer baskets between which the strip to beaccumulated is fed and collected. Each basket may be formed of 21 ormore individual rolls, in which it is the object of the presentinvention to provide a roll changing apparatus that will enable therolls to be changed quickly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rollchanging apparatus for removing and replacing the rolls of a stripaccumulator, in which there is provided a frame, a means for positioningthe frame adjacent to the strip accumulator, said apparatus, including aroll carrying means supported by the frame, means carried by the framefor rotating said roll carrying means relative to the frame, and othermeans carried by the frame for moving the roll carrying means radially.

These objects, as well as other novel features and advantages of thepresent invention, will be better understood when the followingdescription is read along with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a roll changingapparatus constructed in accordance with the teaching of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 lookingfrom left to right thereof; and

FIG. 3 is an end view looking from the right to left of the apparatusillustrated in FIG. 1.

Two of the rolls l and 11 of a strip accumulator which the presentinvention is designed to remove and replace are shown in phantom in FIG.2 along with their bearing chock assemblies 13 and 14, respectively.Also shown in phantom in FIG. 2 is part of the frame 15 of the stripaccumulator. The roll represents one of the inner basket rolls and theroll 11 one of the outer basket rolls of the strip accumulator. The axesof these two rolls are arranged in the same radial plane and are free tomove relative to each other during operation of the accumulator, inwhich the journals of the roll 10 are carried in identical bearingchocks 13; whereas, the journals of the roll 11 pass through slotsformed in the bearing chocks 13 and are supported independently thereofby bearing chocks 14. The bearing chocks are carried by the frame 15 byindividual jacks, not shown.

The aforesaid patent application Ser. No. 169,192 shows the specificconstruction of the strip accumulator including the plurality of rollsthat make up the inner and outer roll baskets in which rolls 10 and 11constitute but one cooperative pair thereof. A hearing chock 17 with itsroll of a second inner and diametrically opposite roll is shown inphantom in FIG. 2.

The present invention, as noted before, relates to an apparatus thatwill allow the rolls, together with their bearing chocks, to be quicklyinserted-removed-and reinserted into the accumulator and, moreparticularly, into the frame 15. In FIG. 1 the circular member 16consists of part of the frame 15.

In describing the apparatus reference will be first made to FIGS. 1 and2. The roll changing apparatus comprises an upright stand 20 having fouropenings at its base to receive pins 21. The pins which are permanentlymounted in front of the strip accumulator have slots to receive wedges22 that lock the stand 20 in a proper operative position in front of thestrip accumulator. At the top of the stand 20 an horizontal shaft 24 isrotatably mounted by means of bearings 26 and adapted to overhang theinner side of the stand. Through the overhung portion of the shaft 24,there is secured a vertical frame 28 that, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3,take a generally rectangular form and which rotates with the shaft 24.The shaft 24 is rotated through 360 degrees by a hand wheel 30 which iscarried by the stand 20 by being connected to a gear reducer 31 whichdrives a pinion 32 and a meshing gear 33, the latter being secured tothe shaft 24. Associated with the outside face of the gear 33 is a dial35 and a pointer 36. Associated with the frame 28 is a rotatable lockingpin 37 which includes a handle 37a and a spring 37b received in ahousing having a slot for receiving a second pin 37c. The spring isarranged to urge the pin 37 towards the left, as one views FIG. 2, andwill displace the pin 37 in this direction when the pin 370 is rotatedso as not to be in its locking position. The frame 28 has a series ofopenings 37d in its outside face, one for each cooperative pair of innerand outer rolls 10 and 11; FIG. 1 only indicating a few of the openings37d.

On the inside face of the frame 28 there is mounted on the frame acolumn 38 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a vertical position. The column isadapted to slidably carry a roll carrying beam 39 arranged to project incantilever fashion from the column 38. As shown in FIG. 3 the end of thebeam 39 adjacent the column 38 takes the form of a crucifix for thepurpose of giving strength and stability through the overhanging beam.The overhung portion of the beam 39 is tubular in shape to which thereis secured at its opposite ends bearing chock carrying pads 42 and 43.The pads are made so as to receive bolts passing through the chocks forthe purpose of securing a roll assembly to the beam 39 whichrelationship is illustrated in FIG. 2 with respect to both the bearingchocks 13 and 14 of the rolls 10 and 11, respectively.

The beam 39 is movable radially of theaxis of the shaft 24 by moving thebeam over the column 38. This is accomplished by connecting the oppositeends of a flexible chain 45 to the beam, as shown in FIG. 3, the twoconnections being made at46 and 47'. The chain 45 passes over twosprockets 49 and 50 carried by the frame 28. The sprocket 49 is drivenbya gear reducer unit 52 and electrical motor 53; these units beingmounted on one end of and carried by the frame 28.

In employing the apparatus above described to remove rolls from a stripaccumulator, say for example, the rolls 10 and 11, the stand 20 isbrought to a position in front of the frame 15 of the accumulator andset over the pins 21 and locked in place by the wedges 22. In thisposition the beam 39 will project into the accumulator. It should benoted in this regard that before the stand 20 is brought to theaccumulator, the accumulator must be made ready for the removal of therolls, which will include the removal of certain elements and the makingof adjustments and positioning of certain parts, including the rollsthemselves. It should also be noted that in the particular constructionof the accumulator to which the rolls l0 and 11 are associated, therolls are individually removed and the inner roll 10 of a cooperativepair with its bearing chocks is removed first.

Once the stand is properly positioned, an electrical connection can bemade for the motor 53. The beam 39 is first adjusted by rotation of thehand wheel 30 to place the beam in the proper angular position withrespect to the particular roll to be removed, it being noted that thebeam is always inserted into and removed from the accumulator, which isillustrated in phantom in FIG. 2 and designated by the reference nu;meral 55, in a predetermined position. The desired angular position ofthe beam for a given roll can be obtained by the operator by rotation ofthe hand wheel 30 until the pointer 36 is brought to the designation ofthe dial 35 that represents the particular roll to be removed andinserting the locking pin 37 on one of the openings 37d. After this, thebeam 39 is moved radially by operation of the motor 53 to place the pads42 and 43 adjacent to and in contact with the bearing chocks 13 of theroll 10. The checks are then secured to the pads by bolts and the beam39 is retracted radially by an operation of motor 53 and then rotated tothe proper removal position by operation of the hand wheel 30. Thisposition will be also indicated to the operator by the pointer 36 withreference to the dial 35.

As noted before, it is first necessary to remove the cooperative innerroll before the cooperative outer I claim:

1. In an apparatus for removing from and replacing into a stripaccumulator or the like a roll thereof comprising:

a frame,

means for positioning said frame in a roll handling position withrespect to said accumulator,

roll carrying means supported by said frame,

a support member horizontally and rotatably supported by a portion ofsaid frame for rotating said roll carrying means relative to said frameabout an axis parallel to the axis of said carrying means,

a guide rod carried by said support member and arranged perpendicularlyto a plane containing the axis of rotation of said roll carrying meansfor moving said roll carrying means radially relative to said axis ofrotation, and

means for connecting said roll carrying means to said guide rod.

2. In an apparatus according to claim 1 including power means carried bysaid support member connected to said roll carrying means for adjustingsaid roll carrying means radially relative to said axis of rotation.

3. In an apparatus according to claim 1 including means for cantileverlyconnecting said roll carrying means to said guide rod in a manner thatsaid roll carrying means projects perpendicularly therefrom.

4. In a strip accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said rollcarrying means include a surface arranged to be engaged by a roll to behandled.

5. In an apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for rotatingsaid support member includes a hand wheel.

1. In an apparatus for removing from and replacing into a stripaccumulator or the like a roll thereof comprising: a frame, means forpositioning said frame in a roll handling position with respect to saidaccumulator, roll carrying means supported by said frame, a supportmember horizontally and rotatably supported by a portion of said framefor rotating said roll carrying means relative to said frame about anaxis parallel to the axis of said carrying means, a guide rod carried bysaid support member and arranged perpendicularly to a plane containingthe axis of rotation of said roll carrying means for moving said rollcarrying means radially relative to said axis of rotation, and means forconnecting said roll carrying means to said guide rod.
 2. In anapparatus according to claim 1 including power means carried by saidsupport member connected to said roll carrying means for adjusting saidroll carrying means radially relative to said axis of rotation.
 2. In anapparatus according to claim 1 including power means carried by saidsupport member connected to said roll carrying means for adjusting saidroll carrying means radially relative to said axis of rotation.
 3. In anapparatus according to claim 1 including means for cantileverlyconnecting said roll carrying means to said guide rod in a manner thatsaid roll carrying means projects perpendicularly therefrom.
 3. In anapparatus according to claim 1 including means for cantileverlyconnecting said roll carrying means to said guide rod in a manner thatsaid roll carrying means projects perpendicularly therefrom.
 4. In astrip accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said roll carrying meansinclude a surface arranged to be engaged by a roll to be handled.
 4. Ina strip accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said roll carryingmeans include a surface arranged to be engaged by a roll to be handled.5. In an apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for rotatingsaid support member includes a hand wheel.
 5. In an apparatus accordingto claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said support member includesa hand wheel. bearing chock assemblies 13 and 14, respectively. Alsoshown in phantom in FIG. 2 is part of the frame 15 of the stripaccumulator. The roll 10 represents one of the inner basket rolls andthe roll 11 one of the outer basket rolls of the strip accumulator. Theaxes of these two rolls are arranged in the same radial plane and arefree to move relative to each other during operation of the accumulator,in which the journals of the roll 10 are carried in identical bearingchocks 13; whereas, the journals of the roll 11 pass through slotsformed in the bearing chocks 13 and are supported independentLy thereofby bearing chocks
 14. The bearing chocks are carried by the frame 15 byindividual jacks, not shown. The aforesaid patent application Ser. No.169,192 shows the specific construction of the strip accumulatorincluding the plurality of rolls that make up the inner and outer rollbaskets in which rolls 10 and 11 constitute but one cooperative pairthereof. A bearing chock 17 with its roll of a second inner anddiametrically opposite roll is shown in phantom in FIG.
 2. The presentinvention, as noted before, relates to an apparatus that will allow therolls, together with their bearing chocks, to be quicklyinserted-removed-and reinserted into the accumulator and, moreparticularly, into the frame
 15. In FIG. 1 the circular member 16consists of part of the frame
 15. In describing the apparatus referencewill be first made to FIGS. 1 and
 2. The roll changing apparatuscomprises an upright stand 20 having four openings at its base toreceive pins
 21. The pins which are permanently mounted in front of thestrip accumulator have slots to receive wedges 22 that lock the strand20 in a proper operative position in front of the strip accumulator. Atthe top of the stand 20 an horizontal shaft 24 is rotatably mounted bymeans of bearings 26 and adapted to overhang the inner side of thestand. Through the overhung portion of the shaft 24, there is secured avertical frame 28 that, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, take a generallyrectangular form and which rotates with the shaft
 24. The shaft 24 isrotated through 360 degrees by a hand wheel 30 which is carried by thestand 20 by being connected to a gear reducer 31 which drives a pinion32 and a meshing gear 33, the latter being secured to the shaft 24.Associated with the outside face of the gear 33 is a dial 35 and apointer
 36. Associated with the frame 28 is a rotatable locking pin 37which includes a handle 37a and a spring 37b received in a housinghaving a slot for receiving a second pin 37c. The spring is arranged tourge the pin 37 towards the left, as one views FIG. 2, and will displacethe pin 37 in this direction when the pin 37c is rotated so as not to bein its locking position. The frame 28 has a series of openings 37d inits outside face, one for each cooperative pair of inner and outer rolls10 and 11; FIG. 1 only indicating a few of the openings 37d. On theinside face of the frame 28 there is mounted on the frame a column 38shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a vertical position. The column is adapted toslidably carry a roll carrying beam 39 arranged to project in cantileverfashion from the column
 38. As shown in FIG. 3 the end of the beam 39adjacent the column 38 takes the form of a crucifix for the purpose ofgiving strength and stability through the overhanging beam. The overhungportion of the beam 39 is tubular in shape to which there is secured atits opposite ends bearing chock carrying pads 42 and
 43. The pads aremade so as to receive bolts passing through the chocks for the purposeof securing a roll assembly to the beam 39 which relationship isillustrated in FIG. 2 with respect to both the bearing chocks 13 and 14of the rolls 10 and 11, respectively. The beam 39 is movable radially ofthe axis of the shaft 24 by moving the beam over the column
 38. This isaccomplished by connecting the opposite ends of a flexible chain 45 tothe beam, as shown in FIG. 3, the two connections being made at 46 and47. The chain 45 passes over two sprockets 49 and 50 carried by theframe
 28. The sprocket 49 is driven by a gear reducer unit 52 andelectrical motor 53; these units being mounted on one end of and carriedby the frame
 28. In employing the apparatus above described to removerolls from a strip accumulator, say for example, the rolls 10 and 11,the stand 20 is brought to a position in front of the frame 15 of theaccumulator and set over the pins 21 and locked in place by The wedges22. In this position the beam 39 will project into the accumulator. Itshould be noted in this regard that before the stand 20 is brought tothe accumulator, the accumulator must be made ready for the removal ofthe rolls, which will include the removal of certain elements and themaking of adjustments and positioning of certain parts, including therolls themselves. It should also be noted that in the particularconstruction of the accumulator to which the rolls 10 and 11 areassociated, the rolls are individually removed and the inner roll 10 ofa cooperative pair with its bearing chocks is removed first. Once thestand is properly positioned, an electrical connection can be made forthe motor
 53. The beam 39 is first adjusted by rotation of the handwheel 30 to place the beam in the proper angular position with respectto the particular roll to be removed, it being noted that the beam isalways inserted into and removed from the accumulator, which isillustrated in phantom in FIG. 2 and designated by the reference numeral55, in a predetermined position. The desired angular position of thebeam for a given roll can be obtained by the operator by rotation of thehand wheel 30 until the pointer 36 is brought to the designation of thedial 35 that represents the particular roll to be removed and insertingthe locking pin 37 on one of the openings 37d. After this, the beam 39is moved radially by operation of the motor 53 to place the pads 42 and43 adjacent to and in contact with the bearing chocks 13 of the roll 10.The chocks are then secured to the pads by bolts and the beam 39 isretracted radially by an operation of motor 53 and then rotated to theproper removal position by operation of the hand wheel
 30. This positionwill be also indicated to the operator by the pointer 36 with referenceto the dial
 35. As noted before, it is first necessary to remove thecooperative inner roll 10 before the cooperative outer roll 11 isremoved which is removed in a manner similar to what was described inconnection with the roll
 10. In replacing the rolls the operation andmovement of the beam 39 is the same as explained for removing the rolls.The roll 11, however, is inserted into the accumulator first, followedby the outer cooperative roll
 10. In accordance with the provisions ofthe patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of myinvention and have illustrated and described what I consider torepresent the best embodiment thereof. I claim: